A data center in Kearney is facing opposition, and some residents are planning on voicing their concerns at next week’s city council meeting.
Josh Lillyman first posted his concerns on Facebook on May 13 about the noise impact of a new data center being built by Sequitor Edge at the Tech oNE Crossing development in northeast Kearney, scheduled to open in 2027.
He has since authored an online petition asking the Kearney City Council to reinstate a chapter of Kearney’s city code that was repealed in 2003 on industrial nuisances. His other requests in the petition included an update to the city’s noise code, the city releasing the Sequitor Edge development agreement to citizens, and ensuring residential rate payers see no increase if the Sequitor Edge facility were to expand in energy consumption. As of noon Thursday, there are over 450 signatures.
The Kearney City Council approved the sale of a 16 acre parcel of land to Sequitor Edge in September of 2025. At the time, Dan Fuhrman, CEO of Sequitor Edge said, “The location is strategically placed near NPPD’s energy infrastructure and will take advantage of its proximity to fiber optic cabling. It is an ideal location from which Sequitor Edge will be able to serve a regional customer base.”
The Tech oNE Crossing industrial park is located south of 56th Street between Antelope Avenue and the Kearney East Expressway. Marathon Digital Holdings operates a data center utilized for bitcoin mining at the industrial park, alongside a 5 megawatt solar farm operated by Engie. Nebraska Public Power District has a new 100 MW Substation at the park also. Butler Ag Equipment, Farm Credit Services of America, and Jacobsen Orr Lindstrom & Holbrook PC LLO have offices within or right next to the Tech oNE crossing.
Sequitor Edge was founded in 2024 by Daniel Fuhrman and Randy Mortensen. The company has its corporate offices in Bennington, NE; and has a plan of developing 18 data centers in midwestern states. Outside of their plans in Kearney for a data center, the company also announced plans for a data center in Rapid City, South Dakota in February.
Currently, there are nearly 35 data center facilities in Nebraska, with a majority of them in Omaha and Lincoln.
The next Kearney City Council meeting is May 26th at 5:30 PM. Meetings take place at City Hall on East 22nd Street.
